Senior Grants Manager

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC works with people forced to flee from war, conflict and disaster and the host communities which support them, as well as those who remain within their homes and communities. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

The humanitarian crisis in Venezuela continues to intensify. Venezuelans face hyperinflation, which puts them out of reach of basic goods and services, including health care and food. A shortage of medical supplies means that it is difficult to diagnose and treat communicable diseases and sexual and reproductive health needs, among other services. The lack of food has resulted in hunger and malnutrition. From 2015-2018, over three million Venezuelans left to seek goods and services in primarily neighboring countries.

IRC has responded to the crisis by supporting Venezuelans crossing the arc of the migration pattern, including Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. In Colombia, IRC works in the areas of health, protection, education, and multipurpose cash assistance in Cúcuta, Medellín, Cundinamarca, Norte de Santander, and Nariño (specifically Ipiales). In Venezuela, IRC has been developing programs through the support of local partners. Since January 2021, we have expanded our response in Ecuador and in 2022 to Peru, establishing projects and strategic alliances with local partners, with emphasis on border corridors. IRC works to strengthen the capacity of local partners to provide access to quality sexual and reproductive health services, nutrition, basic needs, and dignified livelihoods for the migrant population.

JOB OVERVIEW:

The Senior Grants Manager is the focal point for proposal development, donor reporting, grants information management and grants management capacity-building efforts. The Senior Grants Manager also supports programmatic and budgetary monitoring, compliance with donors and internal IRC rules and regulations. The Senior Grants Manager will work closely with the in-country program teams in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru and will report to IRC’s Senior Grants & Partnerships Coordinator.

MAIN RESPONSABILITIES.

• Submit high quality donor reports (narrative and financial) according to IRC and donor regulations. Ensure all required documents are included, complete, correct and approved by the respective Program Coordinator/s and country management.
• Collaborate with the Program and finance teams to develop standard reporting templates and tools that will support improved narrative, and financial reporting.
• Maintain knowledge of grant agreement language and regulations, serving as a knowledge resource on assigned donors and advancing questions where needed.
• Raise compliance issues with supervisor
• Lead grant opening meetings, quarterly grant review meetings, and grant close out meetings
• Lead management meetings, including monthly review of Budget vs Actual (BVA) reports to address any projected underspend or over spend.
• Oversee the spending plan monthly updating process in coordination with finance and programs counterparts
• Keep supervisor informed of any projected inabilities to meet contractual obligations, report submission and spend rates/significant budget variances. Be able to actively mitigate risks through proposing remedial solutions in consensus with department heads
• Compile and respond to information requests from IRC’s regional, London and NY offices.
• Support the development of high quality proposals and budgets that are relevant to IRC’s Strategic Action Plan and include input from key partners (finance, operations, programs, partners, etc.).
• Contribute to all aspects of the proposal development process – including compilation/editing of the technical narrative, development of budgets and budget narratives, drafting of required annexes, etc.
• Facilitate and coordinate with the Partnerships unit to provide necessary support for all aspects of sub-award life cycle management, from partner identification, vetting, and project agreement/amendment development
• Work with grant counterparts in HQ and at the regional level to ensure coordination and adherence to proposal timelines and requirements.
• Spearhead project cycle meetings (design, opening, implementation, closing, and learning) to identify and help resolve needs, constraints, and other project cycle issues.
• Undertake other key grants management, program development, monitoring and evaluation, communications and external relations activities as requested
• Supervise Grants Officers to ensure proper oversight, professional development and good stewardship of all tasks
• Support to Senior Grants & Partnerships Coordinator in special projects as necessary to streamline coordination of the grants, partnerships and communications units.

Qualifications

• Graduate degree – international development or similar, or bachelor’s degree with significant grants management experience and superior writing skills
• Excellent English language skills (spoken, written and read)
• At least three years of experience working in projects and/or grants management, proposal/business development/design, in various contexts
• Strong understanding and knowledge of USG (USAID/OFDA/BPRM), European (ECHO, EU, SIDA, GFFO), FCDO, UN (UNHCR/UNFPA/UNDP/OCHA/WFP/FAO) and other donor rules and regulations
• Proven competency with program design, M&E, proposal writing (including logical frameworks) and building budgets using MS Excel
• Excellent writing skills and experience in writing proposals/concept notes
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to determine priorities and meet multiple deadlines,
• Detail-oriented with good multi-tasking abilities and communication skills, both oral and written; and
• Able to work well both within a team and independently, in a challenging and fast-moving multicultural environment